Arvo Pärt

Arvo Pärt (born 11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer, often identified with the school of minimalism and more specifically, that of "holy minimalism" or "sacred minimalism". He is considered a pioneer of this

Arvo Pärt (born 11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer, often identified with the school of minimalism and more specifically, that of "holy minimalism" or "sacred minimalism". He is considered a pioneer of this style, along with contemporaries Henryk Gorecki and John Tavener. Arvo Pärt is best known for his choral works.

Pärt's musical education began at age 7, and by 14 or 15 he was writing his own compositions. While studying composition (with teacher Heino Eller) at the Tallinn Conservatory it was said of him that: "he just seemed to shake his sleeves and notes would fall out". There were very few influences from outside the Soviet Union at this time, just a few illegal tapes and scores.